When the fan gets hit
by Doc Lee
Summary: Set just after 'The Limey' and is AU from then on out. A newspaper causes chaos for our favourite duo. Hold on, it will be a bumpy ride.
1. Chapter 1

With my first multi-chapter Castle Fic being well recieved, i decided to go back and look at some of my other plot ideas that had lain in my head unused for ages. This one has a basis in a real life incident here in the UK involving a famous footballer. It's set about two days after 'The Limey' so the first few chapters will have Angst as there are the obvious things to visit at the start of this. For the purposes of this story I have created a New York newspaper, as I have never been to New York (yet) I don't know if the name I created belongs to a real newspaper or not... I hope it's the latter.

I have a rough plan as to where this is going, but most of this isn't written yetsame update plan for this is the same as 'After the Hunt' with weekly updates. Hope you all enjoy the ride, it may be a bit bumpy.

Disclaimer - I have no connection to Castle, bar being a fan. The people who own Castle are not people I am with.

* * *

Today was a crap day, and it was still only nine in the morning.

That was the thought running through Detective Kate Beckett's mind as she stood silently in the elevator as it brought her up through the floors of the 12th precinct. Castle was pulling further and further away from here by the day, and she had no idea how to resolve whatever issue he suddenly had with her, or even what the issue was.

It didn't help that she was still not fully recovered after betraying her promises after her fathers issues by drinking herself stupid with Hunt before he flew back to England and she was being subjected to furtive glances wherever she went this morning, mixed in with various degrees of disgust and pity.

The lift arrived at the bullpen and Kate sighed as she stepped into the hustle and bustle...

Which ceased the moment she was spotted.

'DETECTIVE BECKETT!' Kate winced as her captain stalked across the room, a look of fury gracing her usually irritated face. Stopping before her, blocking Kate's further access into the room, Gates fumed and held out her hand, 'Gun and badge Beckett, you are suspended for a week.'

It took a moment for Kate's mind to fully register what she'd just been told, and a beat longer for her to react.

'What?' Kate glanced around the bullpen in shock,noticing everyone staring, 'what did I do?'

'Next time you decide to give an exclusive interview to one of New Yorks newspapers,' Gates spat, 'consult with the damned PR department first, it might stop you from disgracing not only yourself, but the entire precinct. now get out before I have you escorted out.'

With that, Gates spun on her heel and stalked back into her office, her door slammed with such force that Kate swore she felt the floor vibrate beneath her.

'What interview?' Kate stood rooted to the spot as her flabbergasted mind flailed about, trying to work out what in the hell she was supposed to have done.

'Becks,' Javier Esposito carefully approached, a folded newspaper in his hand, 'the New York weekly has run a full spread front page interview with you where you revealed some rather personal things about yourself and Castle, about how he truly means to you. Then you told them you've lied to him for about ten months now.'

'WHAT?' Kate flinched as Esposito held out the paper. Her vision started to blur as she read the full page headline, 'Nikki Heat, the true story behind the story,' her mind registering Javier's voice as he called out her name before shouting for help.

Then the lights went out.


	2. Hospital confrontations

I was going to be evil and let you all hang for another day or so on the cliffhanger, but i'm in a good mood. so here it is. Thank you for all the favourites, follows and the reviews. This is another short chapter, but future chapters will be longer (though not too long)

Disclaimer -I am not part of the people that own the rights to Castle and the characters.

* * *

'Where is she?' Richard Castle shouted as he barrelled through the double doors into the small waiting room. Having woken late after getting lost in the latest Heat chapters, Rick had only discovered the article when Gina and Paula had near kicked his loft door in. It had taken three different numbers before he had discovered where Kate was and he had hung up in a frenzy when Ryan had informed him which hospital she was in.

'Slow down Writer Boy,' Lanie's furious glare stopped the the near panicking Castle in his tracks, 'You hung up before Kevin could explain.'

'Explain what?' Rick paled as Gina and Paula exited a nearby lift.

'Your girl had a major panic attack and passed out,' Lanie calmly stated, despite the fear in her, 'Javi caught her before she hit the floor, but we are still waiting for her to wake up.'

'The doc that's treating her said Becks is okay,' Esposito came up beside Lanie, 'But that her body needs a small amount of time to recover from the shock to it's system.'

'Shock?' Paula and Castle spoke at the same time as Gina's phone began to vibrate.

'Gates had just suspended her for the article,' Esposito explained, 'she turned to me completely perplexed and asked 'what interview?', so I told her and handed her the paper.'

'Dios,' Esposito winced, 'I've never seen someone pale that quickly that hadn't lost a limb. She blinked, swayed and I knew what was coming. Thank God I caught her before she hit the floor.'

'Perplexed?' Paula frowned.

'Yeah, confused,' Esposito replied.

'I know what it means,' The look that Paula sent back rivalled Lanie's worst glare and Esposito instinctively took a step back.

'It was like she had never seen the article before and had absolutely no prior knowledge of it,' Esposito scratched his forehead.

'I need to see her,' Rick moved towards where Ryan stood guarding a private room.

'Hold your horses,' Lanie planted a hand on Castle's chest, 'You go in there like a bull in a china shop and you will make things about four hundred times worse. You need to slow down and take a few minutes to think. I cannot believe my friend could do something like this, and I honestly cannot see how you could either.'

'What about lying to you for almost ten months Lanie,' Castle scowled, 'Is your friend capable of that?'

A loud crack rang out as Lanie slapped Castles face, 'How dare you? I don't know what in the freaking hell is going on between the two of you at the moment, but if you aren't here to make sure she is okay, then get the hell out now.'

'She didn't tell you then?' Rick was surprised at the revelation.

'Boy if you don't start making sense right now i'm gonna smack the stupid right outta you,' Lanie bristled.

'I'd rather you didn't Miss Parish,' Jim Beckett calmly spoke as he approached, 'It's good to see you again Richard, I just wish it was under better circumstances.'

'As do I Mr Beckett,' Rick shook the hand given to him.

'My daughter,' Jim sighed, 'well, I'm going to be blunt here. You are the love of her life and it scares the living shit out of her. Because of this she has made mistake after mistake and now it's all come home to roost. I heard Miss Parish's comment, but I have to ask you myself. Are you here for my daughter?'

'Always,' Rick instantly replied, 'Even though you are wrong and she doesn't return my affections, your daughter has me for the rest of our lives.'

'Then why are you the reason she has spent the last few weeks regularly falling asleep on my couch after sobbing her guts out?' Jim's bomb struck home hard.

'And when she isn't with her father she's doing the same on mine?' Lanie added.

'But...' Castle stammered.

'You and I need to talk privately Rick,' Jim motioned for Castle to follow him back into the private room.

'Where's Richard going?' Gina approached the group, her phone in her jacket pocket.

'Busy,' Paula distractedly answered as she watched the door Castle had just gone through.

'It's just that I have an appointment with the editor of the New York Weekly in thirty minutes,' Gina flinched as the group snapped their heads to her.

'I'm coming with you,' Esposito stated, 'No ifs or buts Miss Cowell, I have some questions for that ass myself.'

'We need to move then,' Gina checked her watch, 'We'll be cutting it fine if we leave right now.'

Javier gave Lanie a look and turned to where the blonde was already striding back to the lift, 'You forget, I have a get out of my way device. It's called the Gumball.'

* * *

Entering the private hospital room, Castle gave Ryan a quick nod of greeting before the younger man slipped back to his guard spot. As Ryan closed the door, Rick turned to the bed and whimpered softly as he took in the body laying on it.

The small shape curled up on the bed wasn't the Detective Kate Beckett he knew and adored. This one looked beyond exhausted, her wrists too skinny and her collar bones protruded too far for his liking.

'Why are you letting her do this to herself Rick?' Jim quietly spoke as he gently brushed her hair from her face, 'Why are you doing is to her?'

'Jim...' Rick's voice hitched, 'God Jim. I don't know what to do anymore.'

'Then I suggest you do what my wife always said to do and start from the beginning,' Jim sat in the chair next to Kate's head, motioning to Rick to take the one nearer her feet.

'I don't even know where that is,' Castle slumped in the uncomfortable chair.

'Then start from when you tried to take a bullet for my daughter.'

'I saw the glint from the rifle,' Castle whispered, 'but I wasn't quick enough. I'm sorry I failed you Jim.'

'Failed me?' Jim frowned.

'I promised you I would keep her safe,' Rick looked down at his shaking hands as he fought the urge to weep, 'And I failed you Jim. I failed Roy. I failed Kate.'

'Rick,' Jim rested a hand on Castle's shoulder, 'The hell you did. I watched you throw your body at my daughter in the hope you'd take that cursed bullet, not her. You did not fail my Katie and if I hear you say it again, I will take Dr Parish's advice and knock some sense into that head of yours.'

'But...'

'But nothing Rick,' Jim's hand squeezed reassuringly, 'You did everything you could, heck, you willingly risked your own life to protect hers and for that action alone, I am forever in your debt.'

'I told her I loved her,' Rick brokenly whispered, 'And she's lied to me ever since.'

'That she remembers?' Had the situation been any different Jim Beckett would have laughed at the look of surprise on Castle's face, 'No, she didn't tell me, but I spent two months in the cabin with her nightmares. At first she was having two or three a night, and by the time I left it was one every couple of nights.'

'Each one seemingly starred you and the utter worst involved you being shot instead of her, and you obviously dying in her arms,' Jim revealed, 'The only other time I have known her to cry in the manner she did was after...' Jim faltered.

Rick's mind was whirring at over nine thousand revolutions a second as he processed what Jim was telling him.

'We all have a fear that cripples us,' Jim sat back in his chair, 'I've experienced two versions of mine already and I believe I know what my Katie's is.'

Rick opened his mouth to ask, but Jim beat him to it.

'Losing you Rick,' Jim answered slowly, 'Losing Johanna nearly destroyed her. Heck, it destroyed me for a long time. But I can tell you with all certainty that if my daughter were to lose you, then there would be no coming back from that for her.'

'She lied...' Rick couldn't connect what Jim was telling him to Kate's actions.

'Who are you?' Jim took in the confused expression on Castle's face, 'You are Richard Edgar Castle. Writer of multiple best seller novels. The man that can have any woman he wants swooning before him. The man who's books saved her from spiralling down with her father. The man who willingly gave up thousands to find her mother's killer. The man who has been at her side for nearly four years now. The man that threw his body between her and a snipers bullet.'

'She is just Kate Beckett, NYPD,' Jim held up his hand as Rick spluttered, 'A woman who has suffered loss like no other, who has both internal and external scars, who finds committing to anyone a scary concept as we all leave.'

'She doesn't understand why a man like you would be interested in little old her,' Jim was surprised by Rick's reaction.

The shake in Castle's hands grew as he hid his face behind them, his shoulders joining in with the shaking. After a minute, Rick lowered his hands and Jim winced at the tear stains on the other man's face.

'God no,' Rick's voice was thick with emotion, 'She's so freaking wrong. If anyone doesn't deserve the other, it's me not deserving the frankly amazing woman that you raised.'

'Every day she wakes up and watches people go through the same emotions as she did that night,' Rick passionately spoke as he wiped at his face, 'Every day she searches for the justice for others that she was cruelly denied. She stares down killers and laughs in their faces. She stares death in the face and spits in his eye.'

'I just sit in my office writing my stories and pretending to be a douchebag in public' Rick sniffed, 'It is I who do not deserve her Jim.'

'You two are as bad as each other,' Jim gently chuckled and shook his head.

'I am deeply in love with your daughter Jim and I will do anything and everything to ensure her safety,' the passion in Rick's voice was evident in his eyes and Jim had to take a deep breath to calm his own emotions.

A distinctively feminine strangled sob cut through the room and in what seemed to be a blink to Jim, Castle was on his feet next to Kate's bed.

'Kate?' Rick grabbed hold of one of Kate's hand with one of his, his other hand brushing her hair from her face again.

'Say it again,' Kate wept, 'Please say it again.'

Realising he was suddenly intruding on an immensely private scene, Jim quietly stood and walked to the door. As his hand took hold of the door handle he heard Rick's voice quietly say, 'I love you Kate.'

The room held it's breath for what felt like hours, but was only a second, before Kate's emotional voice replied, 'I love you too Rick.'

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Jim slipped out the room.

'Is she?' Ryan looked with alarm at Jim's face.

'She's awake,' Jim beamed, 'and probably doing something i never thought I'd be so freaking happy for her to be doing until now.'

'Jim?' Lanie glanced at the closed door, a look of cautious glee on her face.

'They're healing,' Jim smiled, 'Together. At last.'

'Thank God.'


	3. The chapter with lots of talking

Again, thank you all for your reviews, a couple of which had me rethinking the pacing of the story and giving me a reason to shift a scene a few chapters forward. Said scene was rather tricky to write, and i think this final version is the tenth one i tried. I'm still a little unsure of the scene, but i hope that what i tried to do here works.

Oh, and incase anyon hasn't heard... CASTLE SEASON SIX!

Disclaimer - I don't own Castle at all.

* * *

Looking up at the offices the New York Weekly inhabited, Javier gave out a low whistle, 'How'd such a crap newspaper manage to have an office like this?'

'By having a number of different specialty subject magazines in the same group,' Gina replied as she entered the building.

'Gina Cowell for John Kinster,' Gina calmly spoke to the receptionist as Esposito looked around the lobby.

'I'm afraid that Mr Kinster is in a meeting and cannot be disturbed.'

'How about this then?' Esposito flashed his badge, 'NYPD. I need to speak with Mr Kinster immediately, or I can have you arrested for obstruction of justice.'

'I... Um...' the receptionist flustered, 'Go right on in.'

'Thank you,' Gina smiled and started towards the door that she'd been pointed towards. Turning to Esposito, she whispered, 'Can you do that in a situation like this?'

'It's a grey area,' Esposito shrugged, 'My gut tells me that something illegal went down with this interview, but until I can prove that, I can't really use that excuse to bypass the red tape.'

'Miss Cowell,' John Kinster stood by his desk. A short man, John showed the characteristics of someone who'd spent his life static behind a desk, a large belly trapped behind the suspenders that held his trousers up, 'I must say I'm not surprised to find you here today, though I was surprised you weren't aware of the exposé.'

'The first thing I knew,' Gina plastered a fake smile on her face as she shook the man's hand and sat down, Esposito quietly standing behind her, 'I was sat at my kitchen table reading your paper.'

'While I apologise for the shock, I must take a bit of pleasure that we managed to get one by you, knowing of your reputation of sniffing out stories related to our clients before they are printed. May I ask who the quiet gentleman is behind you?'

'Detective Javier Esposito, NYPD,' Javier kept his hands behind his back, 'I'm here to assist Miss Cowell in finding out just what the freaking hell you did to get my girl to talk.'

'Nothing,' John flinched at the glares sent his way, 'Look, this story came from an intern, she called one of our reporters a couple of nights ago saying she had a story that we would be insane to pass up. Glenda handed in the finished article yesterday and after legal had passed it, we printed it.'

'I need to talk to Glenda and this intern immediately,' Javier ordered.

'That could be tricky,' John held up a hand as Gina and Esposito started talking, 'Wait, please. Glenda's son called in this morning saying that she was ill and this,' John waved a sheet of paper, 'Is the intern's resignation letter. I found it in my in tray this morning when I came in.'

'I'm going to need all your information on both the reporter and the intern before I leave,' Esposito demanded, 'If I need to I will get a court order, but that takes too long and I'm hoping we can keep this civil.'

'Kelly,' John pressed the inter-office intercom, 'I need a copy of both Glenda's and Ashley Harrison's files and I need them ASAP along with the video of the Beckett interview.'

'Video?' Gina and Esposito spoke in unison.

'Yeah,' John nodded, 'It's something we started doing last year. We record the interview with both a dictaphone and a small video camera. Both done with full permission of the interviewee. We find it helps in building up the eventual article.'

'That will be useful,' Esposito's phone interrupted him, 'Esposito... What? She is?... Chica that's awesome... Yeah, we should be back in about half an hour.'

'Was that?' Gina turned to Javier.

'Lanie,' Esposito grinned, 'Kate's awake and writer-boy is in with her.'

'Good.'

'Awake?'John frowned.

'Because of you and this fine establishment,' Esposito glared, 'My boss is currently in hospital suffering from shock.'

'And if you even breathe a word of that to anyone outside of this room,' Gina pointed a finger at the older man, 'I will have this company shut down faster than you can down a pint, and yes, I have heard about your prowess with a drink.'

'If my newspaper has put the Detective in hospital I can only apologise and hope we can come to an agreement on how to resolve the current issue,' John babbled.

'Just give us what we need and keep your trap shut and we are even,' Gina snapped.

'Sir?' a young blonde cautiously entered the room, a pair of folders and a small box in her hands, 'I have what you requested.'

'Thank you Kelly,' John smiled, 'If you can hand them to the detective please.'

'Thanks,' Esposito took the items with a nod of his head, 'Thank you for your time and co-operation Mr Kinster.'

'It's the least I could do,' John sat down in his chair with a sigh.

'It was,' Gina snarked, following Esposito out the door.

* * *

'You know we still have to talk don't you?' Rick mumbled into Kate's shoulder. Her response was to tense up, her hands fisting the back of his shirt as she began to shake.

'Kate,' Castle gently extracted himself from around Kate, 'I love you, even after all of this I still love you,' Rick lifted her chin, brushing back the curtain of her hair that she was hiding behind. The look in her eyes struck his heart, the soul wrenching fear laying upon them for him to truly see.

'I'm never going to stop loving you Kate,' Rick blinked at his own tears, 'But I need to understand, I need to know why you chose to lie to me over and over again.'

'Scared,' Kate breathed the single word.

'Of what Kate?' Rick wiped away a tear as it streaked down her cheek.

'You.'

Rick's jaw dropped for a second as his brain registered her word, 'Me? What's so scary about me?'

'I told you once that I was a one and done type of girl,' Kate's voice barely rose above a murmur as she stumbled over her words, 'but you are the first one... The only one I've ever honestly seen as my one and done.'

'And it scares the shit outta me Rick,' Kate found her verbal damn had burst, 'I can see myself loving you for the rest of my life, marrying you, having children with you... And it scares me.'

'Why?'

'Because every time I let someone into my heart they either betrayal me or die, sometimes they even do both,' Kate scoffed, 'And I don't know how to be normal anymore, I don't know how to get past the constant fear that my world is about to be destroyed again.'

'Rick,' Kate slumped against his shoulder, her fingers a vice grip on his arm, 'I'm sorry I lied.'

'I forgive you Kate,' Rick kissed her hair, 'But I still can't understand how you came to decide that lying was a better option. I get that you are scared, but I need to know how you came to your decisions Kate. You keep it all bottled up and we can't help you if you don't let us in.'

'You hit too close to the mark Rick,' Kate answered after a minute's silence, 'The night before Montgomery died. I was hiding, behind men i don't love, down the rabbit hole of my mother's murder. To find out that a parent is dead is horrific, but to find out she was murdered, God Rick. That ripped my world apart, ripped me apart. Nineteen and in one night I lose my entire family. My mother to a knife, my father to drink and the rest of my family just stood back, let us self destruct before their eyes. I had no one to drag me up from the floor and keep me moving, and I let myself believe really stupid things about myself and my self confidence has never really recovered.'

'The night we fought I was one of the worst nights of my life Castle,' Kate whispered, 'I'm so sorry for what I said to you. Then inside of 24 hours after believing I'd pushed you away for the last time I lose the one man that has been beside me for years,' Kate's voice wobbled, 'And... To, to find out he had betrayed me, I was right back there on that floor.'

'I started hiding again. I let you all believe I was coping when I wasn't,' Kate sighed, 'And then the funeral.'

'I pray to God that you are never shot Castle,' Kate winced, 'It hurts like a mother, and to know that despite my behaviour towards you, you were willing to put yourself between me and a bullet, I don't deserve that sort of dedication Rick, I don't deserve people dying for me.'

'And then I told you I loved you,' Rick sighed.

'And then you told me you loved me,' Kate parroted back, 'and it, it was the proverbial straw. Everything just got too much and I needed to think, needed to sort out my head and I made the biggest mistake of my life.'

'I lied,' Kate waited for Castle's reaction. When none came she carried on, 'I'm a wreck physically and mentally Castle. I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't able to have a relationship I wanted, I would destroy it with my head. I needed to make myself better, make myself worthy of having you.'

'But you were Kate,' Castle turned Kate's head up from the floor, 'You always have been.'

'I'm starting to realise this Rick,' Kate smiled momentarily, 'but I was so scared.'

'Of me doing just what I did when I found out about your lie?' Castle groaned in frustration as Kate nodded.

'Every time I considered telling you,' Kate blinked away tears, 'all my head was seeing was you getting furious and walking away. I finally find the courage to stand up and face the consequences of my actions and that goddamn bomb went off and you just pulled awa...oh God!'

'You were behind the glass weren't you?' Kate ran her hand over her face, 'It makes sense now! DAMMIT!'

'Kate,' Rick grasped Kate's arm to keep her from pacing around the room in frustration, 'I acted the way I did because I was confused, all my own head was telling me was that you had lied because you didn't return my feelings. No matter what people tried to tell me I was blinded by that conclusion. In the same manner you were scared I'd walk away if I found out, I was terrified that my theory might be true, so I behaved like a douchebag.'

'I thought I had taken too long and you were giving up,' Kate toyed with the sleeve of her hoodie.

'Never Kate,' Rick insisted, his gut starting to churn as he realised his own secret needed to be revealed 'I'm never giving you up. But Kate, you aren't the only one who has been keeping a secret.'

Kate felt her stomach hit the floor


	4. Truth revealed

I humbly beg for forgiveness. My life has become a little insane lately as I have to be out of where I live within 18 days and I currently have no where to go once the 18 days are up. To saying things are hectic and insane would put it mildly.

It didn't help that is chapter was really difficult to write in points. I should add that there are three uses of strong language in here. While Castle steers away from it, i've included them as I felt it helps convey the emotions of the moment. Hope I don't offend anyone with them.

Disclaimer - I own nothing...

* * *

'Kate?' Rick carefully spoke.

'Give me a moment Castle,' Kate scrunched her eyes shut as her left hand squeezed the back of her neck.

'Kate?' Castle's voice carried the confusion in his head.

'I need a moment to think before I say or do something and ruin all the good done in this room,' her voice was rushed as she all but begged, 'Please, just give me a moment to think.'

'Okay.' Castle took a step back and let go of Kate's arm. Rick stood quietly as he watched a bevy of emotions flicker over Kate's face as she processed his revelation.

'He approached you?' Kate queried.

'He rang me yes.'

'He told you that the dragon had picked you or had he?'

'He said he thought I was the best candidate.'

'And you believed him?' Kate opened her eyes and stared at Castle, 'It didn't cross your mind that he might just have been the dragon himself?'

'Only after I agreed to the deal,' Castle slumped in a nearby chair, 'I just saw a chance to atone for failing both your father's plea and Roy's last order to me. I saw a chance to keep you safe and I jumped on it without a second thought.'

'Did he tell you to not tell me the real reason you were calling me off the hunt?'

'No, that was all me,' Castle sighed, 'I couldn't handle the fear that you would hear me out and then charge at Mr Smith with abandon and guns ablaze.'

'You made the right call Rick,' Kate crouched before Castle's chair, 'Back then, before all the extra sessions with Burke, I would have imitated the road runner in any direction that would have taken me to Smith without a second thought. I would have gotten myself killed, I know that now.'

'You aren't pissed at me?' Castle was shocked, this reaction not expected on his list of reactions.

'Of course I am,' Kate glared, 'I thought you were a clever one Castle. What's clever about deciding to do all of this on your own, knowing that you were potentially shining the spotlight on you and your family?'

'Kate,' Rick's eyes bored into hers, 'When he gave me the ultimatum, all I could see was a chance to keep you safe, keep you alive. My God Kate,' Castle whispered brokenly, 'I held you in my arms as you appeared to die. I watched the fucking lights go out.'

'I'm sorry Rick, I'm so sorry you had to endure that,' Kate sniffled, 'but you have to realise that in choosing the option you took, you not only put everyone around you in danger, but you painted a huge target on your back.'

'You keep telling me that you want to keep me safe,' Kate shifted to her knees, 'But Rick, I need to keep you safe. I need to know that you are going home to your mother and child each night safely. Just as you will do whatever it takes to keep me safe, I'm equally going to be doing everything in my power to keep you safe.'

'Look at us,' Rick chuckled humourlessly.

'Not so fun and uncomplicated are we?' Kate quirked an eyebrow.

'No matter what the situation Kate,' Rick sighed, 'I was wrong to say that to you. You are fun, and yes you may be complicated, but I want complicated. Complicated has a story, a mystery. Complicated is living.'

'So what now Castle?' Kate rested her forehead on Castle's chest, her hands slipping behind his shoulders.

'Now we promise to work our butts off to keep talking to each other and stop keeping secrets from each other.'

'My track record shows I can't promise i won't screw up Rick,' Kate's voice took a determined tint, 'but I can promise to work my butt off to make sure I keep to this.'

'And I can do nothing less than that either Kate,' Castle flinched as the door to the room opened. His instinct kicking in as he shifted his body between Kate and the newcomers.

'Clara?' Castle blinked in shock as Kate poked her head out from behind his shoulder.

'Long time no chat Ricky,' the tall blonde gave a Castle-like smirk at the man as the room steadily filled up with the rest of the assorted friends and family.

'What on earth are you doing here Clara?' Castle got to his feet and gave the woman an enthusiastic hug.

'On the advice of Gina, Paula and your detective Esposito,' Clara's face turned serious, 'I'm activating the Alexis package with immediate effect.'

'What?' Kate's confused voice was echoed by the younger Castle.

'It's an agreement Ricky and I have had for a number of years now,' Clara calmly answered the two confused woman, 'perhaps I should introduce myself first Detective.'

'I am Clara Stone,' Clara held out a hand for Kate to shake, 'decades ago, my father set up a PMC called StoneClad and after his passing, I have continued to run the company. Ricky and I have known each other since we were teens and our parents had a relationship that lasted a few years,' Clara released some of the tension in her shoulders she explained her connection to Castle, 'The Alexis package was something Ricky and I created when Alexis was three. It is a worst case scenario, if there is a threat to Ricky, Alexis, Martha or anyone those three hold dear, I employ a trusted few members of my company to assist me in keeping said people safe.'

'Becks,' Esposito threaded carefully as he spoke, 'We've looked into the article, Glenda Boyce was credited with it, but she didn't initiate the article, it appears that you were approached by an intern to the newsgroup who then brought in Boyce to under take an interview with you in your own home two nights ago.'

'But...'

'There's a video recording of the entire interview Kate,' Lanie sent a devastated look her way.

'Two nights ago I stupidly got drunk after work,' Kate humiliated voice rang out in the room, 'I barely remember anything between Hunt leaving me at the airport bar, to me waking up fully dressed on my couch the next morning.'

'Kate?' Castle looked hurt.

'Your line hit home hard Rick,' Kate admitted, 'Threw me for a freaking loop and I gave in to a final drink with Hunt before his plane left. The little I remember of that night was how awkward it was. It was a stupid decision made in a moment of weakness.'

'We have more important issues to deal with now guys,' Esposito interrupted, 'Glenda Boyce was killed this morning and the intern has disappeared.'

'How did she die?' Castle felt his stomach drop to his knees at the expression on the groups faces.

'Sniper round to the head as she walked out her front door,' Javier winced at the flinch that shot through Beckett, 'There's more. Ballistics match the bullet as the same caliber that was used in your shooting Kate, and the weapon is the same type as used to shoot you.'

'Shit,' Kate paled as she clung to Castle,'Deal's off.'

'What deal?' various voices in the group responded.

'Clara,' Rick ignored the question as he turned to the tall blonde, 'the shit hasn't just hit the fan, it's demolished it. We need a secure location, like, yesterday and the highest level of security that your company can give us.'

'What the frak have you gotten yourself into Ricky?'

'Not him,' Kate quietly answered, 'Me. The man that had my mother murdered is coming to finish the job he tried to complete nearly a year ago. He's not averse to killing anyone and everyone that poses any threat to him and whatever operation he has going.'

Clara blinked and lifted a radio from her shoulder, 'Dom, have Serenity prepped for a long stay.'

'Serenity?' Rick frowned in confusion.

'A bunker we obtained a few years back,' Clara answered, 'most secure non-government facility in New York. Kate, your doctor has discharged you into Dr Parish's care effective about three minutes ago. If you all follow me, I can have you all secured in Serenity within fifteen minutes.'

* * *

'Now that we are inside this drab bunker,' Lanie snarked as she looked around the drab grey space, 'I'd loved to know just what in the hell is going on.'

'Sit down Lanie,' Kate sighed, she knew the shit storm that would head her way from her passionate, but well meaning friend, 'In fact everyone should take a seat while Rick and I explain what's going on.'

'We have a conference room at the far end of the bunker,' Clara pointed, 'or we have some comfy chairs through the door on my left.'

'Comfy chairs,' Rick gently grasped Kate's elbow and lead her, and the group, through the door Clara pointed out, 'we'll need the comfy chairs for this.'

Clara lead the group through a set of double doors into the living area, where a number of comfortable sofa's dotted the room. Holding the door open, Clara purposely caught the eye of Paula as the agent approached, but the uncomfortable posture and the fact Paula wouldn't meet her eye meant that the events of their last meeting still cut at the woman and Clara swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

'So now we are comfy,' Lanie deadpanned once the group had gotten seated, 'you two need to start talking and do it quickly.'

'The proverbial bullet points or the full story?' Castle questioned the crowded room as Lanie threw a glare at him that could melt stone.

'Okay then,' Rick gulped, 'The simple facts are that I was approached by a man the day Kate returned to duty after her shooting. He said that he had information that enabled him to make a deal with the devil. Kate backed off her quest to take down the Dragon and said Dragon would let her live. The man in question, who called himself Mr Smith, insisted that I was the best person to keep Kate from chasing the Dragon, so I was given the task to convince her to stand down.'

'And now the Dragon has found a loophole to come after me,' Kate shuddered. Cutting off her friend, Kate continued, 'There's more Lanie. I've been holding back from you all since my shooting and there are things I should have come to you about rather than running away like a coward.'

Lanie's stone cold glare flickered with confusion.

'I lied,' Kate whispered in the quiet room, 'I remember nearly every damn agonising second of that day. I remember turning to Rick as I gave my speech and then turning back to my notes. I remember Rick screaming my name as he threw himself at me and I remember the bullet tearing through my body.'

'The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Castle's terrified face as he told me he loved me,' Kate wasn't sure where the gasp in the room came from, 'after that it's black, but I remember hearing your voice Lanie. Stay with me, stay with me you were pleading and then you were telling someone that they had to understand I was your friend.'

Kate risked a glance at the room and the looks of shock on all but her best friend, or ex-best friend if the fury on Lanie's face was anything to go by.

'After everything that happened,' Kate gulped down her emotions, wiping at her face as she continued, 'The argument with Castle, the hanger, Roy and then adding physical soul destroying agony to the emotional one, I just snapped. I went back to the Beckett that i was before Rick met me, the one that hid, the one that ran.'

'I don't... didn't feel worthy of you all,' Kate admitted, 'I got Roy killed, I didn't deserve to have my friends around me. It's a completely fucked up way of thinking, but that's all that was in my head. I thought the best thing for me to do was to get away from you all, make sure that if the dragon had tried again I wouldn't lose more loved ones in the crossfire.'

'I was a mess,' Kate's gaze had fallen to her now trembling hands, 'I still am. My actions have been wrong, stupid, fucked up, whatever word you want to use and I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you all, to fix the wrongs I made.'

Kate crunched her eyes shut as her hands shook through the silence that met the end of her confession. It was a silence that was short lived as Kate heard a figure stand.

'We were here for you Katherine,' Lanie's voice was icy cold, but laced with hurt, 'We were hurting as well, God, I still have the bloodstained dress in my closet. All you had to do was ask. I'm sorry for slapping you today Rick,' Lanie turned to Castle, 'I thought you needed some sense knocked into you. Seems I had the wrong person.' Turning swiftly, Lanie marched out the room, the door slamming loudly behind her as Kate let out a sob.

'Javi,' Castle motioned with his head for the conflicted man to chase after the whirlwind. Esposito stood and stared at Kate for a moment before dropping a soft kiss to her shaking head and going in search of Lanie.

Ryan sat with an arm wrapped round his wife's body as he silently took in what Kate had just revealed. Conflict raged as he shifted from hurt, anger and concern for the woman he'd come to include in his long list of sisters. An old phrase of his mother's came to mind and Kevin knew what he had to do.

Silently slipping off the sofa, Kevin knelt before Kate, his hand reaching out to cover her shaking ones. Her tear stained face shot up in confusion as Kevin smiled softly.

'I forgive you Kate,' Ryan quietly stated. In an instant he watched a multitude of emotions ghost over her face before it crumpled and she had her arms around his shoulders, sobbing into his collarbone.

* * *

'Bill,' The elusive Mr Smith spoke quickly as a courier rider left his office with a package. Shifting the phone to his other ear, Smith winced as the man on the other end of the line shouted.

'The deal is solid,' Smith stated, 'even with your little trick on the interview, we are holding off, giving you one single get out of jail free card to play, and you just played it. Try anything else and we will destroy you.'

Hanging up the phone, Smith turned to his computer monitor. A sudden sharp pain to the back of his head was instantaneously forgotten as he found himself standing before his long deceased wife on the porch of their old house.


	5. Firmer footings

I'm still alive! Found a place the night before I was to be homeless, which was good... But then ended up having a month long battle to get a phone line fixed so I could have e Internet. Obviously it's fixed now, so here is the next chapter of the story, which has a mention of the real life story that inspired this fic. Hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer - don't own anything to do with Castle, apart from the first four seasons on DVD.

* * *

'Shit Ricky,' Clara sighed as martha and Jim lead Kate into a nearby bedroom, Alexis and Jenny slipping away in search of a kitchen, 'you really are up shit creek.'

'You said it,' Rick snarked as Ryan approached, 'what's the plan of action?'

'First things first,' Clara pondered, 'We get everyone tagged.'

'Tagged?' Rick and Ryan shared a glance.

'My tech guy has created a sweet piece of equipment,' Clara explained, 'it's a wristband that acts as a GPS device and a limited bio signs detector.'

'What?' Castle's jaw dropped, 'how?'

'your pulse is strongest at certain points in your body,' Clara lifted her left wrist, a band round it, 'your left wrist is one of them. This band contains the GPS, a transmitter and a pressure point. This point sits over your wrist and monitors your blood pressure and heartbeat.'

'sounds like something from Star Trek,' Castle smirked.

'Dom is a geek,' Clara chuckled, 'so it's almost certainly come from that.'

'What about the precinct?' Ryan frowned.

'you are all off work as of now,' Clara grimaced, 'i've had the displeasure of speaking to your captain, she is a battle axe. For now you will all have to stay in this bunker.'

'no,' Castle bristled, 'No way.'

'Ricky,' Clara sighed, 'this is part of the Alexis package, you all stay inside. We agreed this, you can't now decide to ignore parts of the agreement.'

'there isn't a chance in hell that you will be able to keep Kate from working the case,' Castle insisted.

'nor myself and Javi,' Ryan added.

Clara grimaced, her mind whirring, 'well obviously I would have you all helping us from inside the bunker, but as Esposito is a former Marine sniper, then I guess he could take part in certain activities outside the bunker.

'oh no,' Ryan raised a finger, 'Javi won't be going anywhere without me. We are a team and we stick together. He trusts me to watch his six, and I him.'

'i'll have Mueke run you through your paces,' Clara offered, 'and if he says you are capable, then I'll let you and Javi go out with a team.

'Clara,' Rick nervously looked at the room Kate had been escorted into, 'I've got a horrible suspicion about the interview.'

'what do you mean?' Ryan frowned.

'a while back there was a big thing over in the UK where a trash rag cornered the drunk ex wife of a famous football player,' Rick held a hand up, 'no, it's football, not soccer. Trust me they despise it when we call it soccer. Anyway, this trash rag guided her through the ambush and then used it to write a front page article that held barely any ruth. It took the guy weeks and a number of personal appearances on TV over there to deal with the fall out.'

'you think the article was done in a similar way?' Clara frowned.

'there's not a chance in hell that Kate would talk about the stuff in the article voluntarily,' Castle shook his head, 'kate is intensely private. I have to wonder if the intern that got the story by using some sort of drug?''

'i'll go over there right now and search the place,' Clara's face was grim, 'is there anything she would want brought back?' Castle rattled off a list, 'you two are that close that you know her apartment that well?'

'well,' Castle grimaced, 'I observe. Kate lets me. It's complicated with us.'

'complicated?' Ryan scoffed, 'no Castle, you and Beckett are beyond complicated.'

'That bad eh?' Clara smirked, 'little Ricky must have it bad if he's made it so complicated.'

'she's it Clara,' Rick's face softened, 'I can see us together for the rest of my life.'

Clara sighed, 'Lucky you Ricky. I think I lost mine years ago.'

'hey,' Rick squeezed Clara's shoulder, 'she'll come round. trust me.'

Clara nodded, 'I should get to Kate's place.'

Ryan watched the woman walk off, a frown on his face, 'Bro?'

'not my place to tell you Ryan,' Castle sighed.

* * *

'she's waking up,' Kate heard a voice sooth as she surfaced from what felt like a long sleep.

'mo-Martha?' Kate winced at the slip.

'darling,' Martha brushed Kate's hair from her face, 'you've been asleep for about five hours Kate.'

The detective frowned as she noticed a look in the older woman's eyes, 'What's happened,' Kate paused, noticing a band round her wrist, 'And what is this on my wrist?'

Martha smiled softly at the woman's confusion, 'I can answer the second question easily.'

'wow,' Kate marvelled as Martha finished the explanation, 'that is a good piece of kit. We should have something similar on the force.'

'Clara is negotiating things at the moment with that Kate,' Castle announced his presence in the small room.

'what happened?' Kate clambered out of the bed.

'Smiths dead,' Rick winced, 'Sniper round to the head in his office.'

Kate paled.

'there's more,' Castle reached out to grasp Kate's arm, 'we should go see Clara.'

'no,' Kate firmly stated, 'tell me now.'

'you know that I hold Alexis' safety far over my own and I'm very cautious who I let near her from my life,' Castle softly spoke, 'I trust Clara with her life, so you should see how safe the woman is.'

Kate nodded warily.

'I gave her your apartment key,' Castle winced, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of her anger. When it didn't appear, he opened one eye to see her smirking face, 'oh, okay.'

'if you trust her Rick,' Kate smiled, 'then I do.'

'Kate,' Rick kissed her forehead, 'I asked her to check a suspicion I had about the blackout you had after drinking with Hunt.'

'oh don't tell me?' Kate ground out, 'I was hit with a Roofie?'

'Clara tells me it's not a Roofie per say, but it's very similar,' Castle sighed, 'there's a lot more that has happened though,' Castle wrapped his arm around Kate's middle as he lead her out the room, 'we found ashley Harrison. Inside a cubed car. Lanie isn't sure, but she may have still been alive when they cubed it.'

'oh god!' Kate's hand flew over her mouth as she spotted the activity across the main room, 'what's going on?'

'smith sent a package before he died,' Castle smiled, 'he sent Roy's files to Clara.'

'we have the files?' Kate's wide eyes flew to his.

'and we have a name for the Dragon,' Rick added, 'Senator William Bracken.'

'What?' Kate's jaw dropped, 'He's the dragon?'

'looks like it,' Clara spoke up as the duo approached, 'but while this information is superb,we need more.'

'what do you mean?' Kate too, in the busy room.

'This is almost enough for a conviction,' Clara motioned to the table shrewd with papers, 'it's enough to destroy him publicly, but there's no smoking gun anywhere here that proves beyond doubt that Bracken is the dragon.'

'you need more?' Kate bit her lip.

'we have Ryan and Esposito out with a small team at the interns apartment,' Rick nervously looked at Clara, 'We kinda called Malarkway on your phone and had him issue a warrent in your name. So technically it looks above board, and only those down here know you were snoring at the time.'

'I don't snore!' Kate glared, before adding quietly, 'much.'

'anyway,' Clara jumped in before things got out of hand, 'we're hoping that she had some kind of failsafe like your former captain. If she does and we find it, then hopefully there could be something that helps solidify the case.'

* * *

'dude? Seriously?' Ryan stared over his shoulder at Esposito, 'How can you say that Norton's Hulk was better than Bana's?'

'because he was!' Javi sighed, 'Ang Lee made him too emotional.'

'oh come on!' Ryan scoffed, 'The hulk is an emotional creature to his core, I mean, he's from Banners internal rage. Rage is an emotion.'

'ruffalo's hulk was better than those two,' one of the three men sent with the duo quipped from across the room.

'ah!' Javi shook his head, 'that hulk is not part of this debate.'

The soldier opened his mouth to reply, his words cut off by a hail of bullets. Dropping to the floor, Javi instantly searched out his partner, spotting him behind the cabinet he was searching, the detective turned to the rest of the group, a curse passing his lips on finding the three men dead.

'Doors clear!' Ryan shouted as Javi scrambled to the door, his rifle in his hand. Ryan scrambled over as the bullets continued to fly through the windows.

'gotta be Maddox!' Javi bit out, 'probably two floors up in the building across the street,' Javi pondered.

'we need to get over there then,' Ryan took a deep breath.

* * *

Heads turned as a wheelchair skidded into the room, 'The team at the apartment are down!' the British man shouted, 'the detectives are still online, but Johnson, Fredricks and Mueke are dead!'

'what?' Clara grabbed her radio, 'Esposito, come in!'

'Goddamn maddox!' Javi's voice sounded strained, 'bastard was watching us. Clara, I'm sorry, but the three guys you sent with us are dead.'

'What happened Espo?' Kate grabbed the radio.

'Maddox is encamped across the street,' Javi answered, 'he just unleashed a hail of gunfire into the interns apartment. Ryan and I were out of the line of fire, but the three guys were down instantly. We're headed into the building to get the puta.'

'we need him alive if you can guys!' Clara shouted over Kate's shoulder.

* * *

Reaching the floor they surmised Maddox was on, Ryan and Esposito shared a look.

'till the wheels fall off bro,' Javi's face was grim, as was Ryan's when he parroted their phrase back.

Stepping infront of the door, Javi raised his foot and kicked it down. The duo were almost instantly met by gunfire.


	6. Recovery & PR Handlings

And here's another chapter. Have struggled with a bit of writers block after this chapter, have an idea of what I want to do, but rather insure as how to go about it and keep people in character.

Hope you all are still enjoying this fic, and (without sounding desperate) I am always open to constructive reviews :D

DISCLAIMER - I am not among the people that have any ownership of Castle.

'Esposito is offline,' The British man exclaimed, his fingers flying over the keypad of the notebook on his lap, 'Ryan's BP and heart rates are through the roof.'

'What?' Kate paled as Castle hooked his arm around her waist. A chair was kicked over and she was lowered carefully.

'His band is offline,' The Brit repeated, 'I've not been able to fix the impact issue. So the band being offline either means a direct hit from a bullet or smacking against a wall or something solid.'

'Hear that Kate?' Castle smiled, 'the clumsy fool has just broken the cool piece of kit.'

'You could have told us that from the start Dom!' Clara smacked the man round the head lightly.

'Sorry,' Dom rubbed his head, 'Ryan is moving slowly, I dare say he's carrying or dragging something heavy.'

'Shit,' Castle hissed, 'Good thing Lanie and Alexis are setting up the medical room.'

'Ryan!' Kate barked into the radio, 'report!'

Silence reigned from the radio.

'Okay,' Dom spoke up,' Ryan is moving fast.'

'Javi probably told him to dump his ass,' Kate sighed wearily.

'Now it looks like he's circling something.'

The radio crackled into life, startling the room.

'We need a medical team to my location STAT!' Ryan shouted, 'Javi's been hit in the arm and he may have broken his ankle. Kate, Maddox is down. I'm sorry, he took himself out as I got to him.'

'Shit.' Kate swore, 'how bad is Javi?'

A rustling was heard on the radio and Esposito answered, 'tis only a flesh wound, but the techno geek wristband is busted, sorry.'

'Not a problem,' Dom shrugged, 'gotta get that durability issue sorted though.'

'Yeah,' Clara shook her head, 'you do,' turning to the radio, 'I'm sending a team to you with a medic.'

'Not Lanie!' Esposito barked, 'you send her, she might just kill me for getting myself shot!'

'She'll need to know Espo,' Kate smirked, 'so grow a pair and deal with it.'

'Remember my warning when I end up impaled by half of the medical room when I get back!' Espo cut the radio.

'Someone should let Lanie know,' Kate looked at Rick, 'I doubt I'd get out of there in one piece right now.'

'It's a good thing I love you honey,' Rick smirked, 'going up against your crazy best friend again wasn't quite what I had planned for today.' Kate's eyes glistened, as Castle smirked.

'I'll go,' Clara smirked, 'You two love birds will never make it at this rate.'

* * *

'What the hell Javier?' Lanie waved a scalpel around dangerously as she berated the detective, 'what possessed you and Ryan to go out there with this threat against you?'

'The same thing that possessed me to join the corp and fight,' Esposito winced as Lanie glared, 'there is a threat out there that will kill us all if we don't stop it. None of us are just going to sit here and do nothing.'

'I know Javi,' Lanie sighed defeatedly, 'I was so scared when Little miss soldier told me you'd been injured.'

'Chica,' Javi smirked, 'this is me. You know it'll take more than a crazed sniper and a corrupt senator to kill me.'

'Why didn't she tell us?' Lanie whispered tearfully, her gaze locked on the ice pack over Javi's ankle.

'PTSD,' Javi answered, his hand reaching out to stroke Lanie's head, 'everything she has done since the shooting screams that she's suffering from it. If I'm honest, I would guess she's had some form of it since her mother was killed.'

'I know what PTSD does to people,' Javi grimaced, 'I seen the strongest men crumble from it. It messed with your head.'

'But...' Lanie opened her mouth.

'I would have done the same thing,' Esposito quietly admitted, 'in her shoes over this. Roy died trying to protect her, he was her mentor for years and I know she blames herself for his death. Beckett ran because she had lost someone she loved,' Javi sighed, 'and then she put everyone of us in danger at the funeral.'

'No she didn't!' Lanie exclaimed.

'But that's how she saw it chica,' Javi waved his good arm, 'Maddox came after her at the funeral. Any one of us could have been caught in the crossfire. You, me, Castle, Alexis. Any one of us could have been killed. Heck, Castle nearly took the bullet trying to save her.'

'She truly thought shutting herself away in that cabin was keeping us safe,' Javi explained.

'But when she came back,' Lanie frowned, her hands adjusting the bandage around Esposito's arm, 'she lied to us all.'

'There are events from my time in the corps that I can't think about,' Javier pinched the bridge of his nose, 'events that are just too painful to relive. I watched friends get ripped apart before my eyes from IEDs and bullets Chica. Kate had one rip through her.'

'She lied,' Javier sighed, 'it was so damn wrong of her to do it, but I understand completely why she did. I get it, and that's why I can't be angry with her for it.'

'It's going to take some time for me Javi,' Lanie softly spoke as Esposito reached out to stroke her cheek.

'I know Chica.'

* * *

'How bad is it?' Rick took in the faces of his publisher and agent, 'That bad?'

'The press are ripping you two apart,' Gina winced, 'many are calling for detective Beckett to lose her badge over all of this, saying she's not fit to be part of the NYPD.'

'Bullshit!' Castle bristled.

'We agree,' Paula spoke up, 'but we can't fight this from in here.'

'The press are using the disappearance of all of us and our lack of response as further proof that she must go.,' Gina added, 'I'm not sure what I can do from in here, but I'm using the secure lines to try and keep a handle on it.'

'What should we do?' Clara joined the conversation, 'We have the means of holding conference calls here with anywhere in the world. Would a press conference or a live interview help?'

'What can we say?' Paula shrugged, 'yes the article is true, but the detective was drugged and coerced into making it, and the two reporters involved are now dead?'

'Has the media picked up on that?' Rick turned to Gina.

'They have,' Gina nodded, 'a couple of the more... Trash rags have thinly disguised articles that suggest that detective Beckett may have had a hand in them disappearing.'

'Then we need to counter that ASAP,' Castle paled, 'Bracken could use that to his advantage and have Kate arrested with planted evidence.'

'If the Detective agrees then I can have something set up for prime time tonight,' Gina suggested.

'I'll get the lab results on the syringe found in her apartment,' Clara stood, 'hopefully the intern was stupid enough to not wear gloves while handling it.' Throwing a glance at Paula, Clara slipped out the room.

* * *

'Seriously?' Kate paled as Jenny barked in surprise, 'they think Kate killed the intern and the reporter?'

'It's a theory that has floated in some of the more lower market publications,' Gina answered, 'but Rick is concerned that it could be picked up by Bracken and used to frame detective Beckett and/or himself.'

'So i have to go on live TV and state my case?' Kate toyed with the cuffs on her top.

'We,' Castle gently tightened the arm around her shoulders, 'and by that I mean myself, your father, Gina, Paula and Clara, all agree that getting your statement and the truth over the article and some of the comments attributed to you is a good idea Kate.'

'In this city,' Gina leant forward, 'image is everything, just like LA. currently the media is undecided over you. We need to take a hold of it all and give them a story, one that we can control.'

Kate turned to Castle, studying the look on his face and the warm confidence in his eyes, 'when?'

'I have a tentative slot for a video link with New York Tonight in two hours,' Paula announced, 'we've agreed that if there is a question you can't answer, then you will just say that and they will not push, otherwise we will cut the link and go find someone else to talk to.'

'I'll do it,' Kate sighed, 'we can prove without a doubt that the intern died while we were all secure in this bunker, can't we?'

'Pearlmutter says she died around an hour after we all were locked in here,' Javi nodded, 'plus Velasquez told me that the car crusher records when the machine is used. It was only used once yesterday, during the window Pearlmutter gave for her death.'

'Good,' Kate let go a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.

'We need to prep you two for the interview,' Paula stood, shooing the rest of the room towards the door.

* * *

'Next up,' the male newscaster spoke calmly, 'Since the New York Weekly splashed her all over their front page, Detective Kate Beckett has disappeared from public view. Tonight, in an exclusive for this station, we have a live video link with Detective Beckett and the writer Richard Castle from an undisclosed location. Thank you for joining us tonight.'

'You're welcome,' Kate replied, her face showing how uncomfortable she was.

'Yesterday morning, your life was uncovered for all of the city to read,' the newscaster stated, 'in your last interview with Cosmo a few years ago, you stated that you were a very private person. What changed?'

'Simply?' Kate glanced at Rick, 'I was drugged.'

'I'm sorry?' The newscaster blinked.

'As you know,' Kate winced, 'my mother was murdered over a decade ago because she uncovered corruption in the legal system by an individually that we know as 'the Dragon'. He hired a hitman to kill and silence her and a select few who assisted her. Since then I have been working to uncover his identity. This lead to my former captain being killed and my shooting at his funeral.'

'The day I returned to duty,' Kate turned to look at Rick, 'Castle was contacted by a former friend of Roy's who had been working in secret to achieve the same goal. He had uncovered enough evidence to contain the Dragon, but he was unable to stop my shooting.'

'There was an agreement made,' Kate winced, 'I had to cease my investigation into the Dragon, and he would let us all live.'

'All?' the newscaster cut in.

'I am the main target for the dragon,' Kate answered, 'but he had also threatened everyone I hold dear. castle, my father, Castle's mother and daughter along with Detectives Ryan and Esposito. The threat also extended to Kevin's now wife Jenny and my friend, Dr Lanie Parish.'

'So in the face of this threat,' the newscaster surmised, 'you felt that you had no choice but to go along with the deal?'

'That's correct,' Kate nodded.

'So why did the article surface?' the newscaster frowned.

'The Dragon used a loophole that we hadn't thought of,' Castle sighed, 'he had Beckett followed and drugged with a Roofie-like drug. We have evidence that proves not only that kate was drugged, but that She was coerced into answering the questions put to her by a reporter and the young girl that drugged her that allowed them to spin the article into something the Dragon could use to break the deal and kill her.'

'This is why we are all now in hiding,' Kate motioned around her, the camera only seeing the concrete wall behind them, 'today my sniper killed the reporter and three members of the security team that Detectives Ryan and Esposito had with them earlier today. He took his own life when cornered, but we know his name and we have a face.'

'This is the man?' the newscaster said as his side of the screen switched to show a mugshot of Maddox.

'We know him as Cole Maddox,' Castle nodded, 'but we don't believe that was his true name. We are putting this mugshot out to appeal for anyone who recognises this man to leave a message on the special page of my website with your contact details and we will get back to you.'

'It has also been made aware to us today that the young woman that drugged me and brought the reporter to my apartment for the interview,' Kate winced, 'Was herself brutally murdered overnight. Some of the lower market tabloids have today suggested that I killed her. We can prove that no one left this facility between 14:00 and 05:30. The ME's office has given the girl a time of death of around midnight. I did not kill her, and my father is currently organising a legal case against anyone who repeats the lie from this moment forth.'

'Do you know who this Dragon is?' the newscaster asked.

'We do,' rick nodded, adding cryptically, 'and so does the entirety of New York.'

'We are withholding his name for now,' Kate added, 'until every loophole is plugged and his conviction is assured. Once we reach that point, we will bring in the FBI and ensure that he pays for his crimes.'

'And this means you are forced to stay in hiding until then?' The newscaster asked.

'Yes,' Kate sighed, 'until the threat against us is resolved, we cannot safely leave.'

'That is unfortunate,' the newscaster stated, 'I'd like to ask you about the article Detective Beckett. You haven't denied any of the claims the article made.'

'Because a lot of them are true,' Kate replied, shifting in her chair uncomfortably. out of sight of the camera, Castle slipped his hand into hers.

'Including...' the newscaster started.

'I'm sorry,' Kate cut in gently, 'but I'm not comfortable answering any questions on the contents of the article.'

'May I put a question to you Detective,' the newscaster cautiously asked, 'you don't have to answer it if it makes you uncomfortable.' Kate nodded, 'i'm guessing by the fact you are sat next to Richard Castle, that you have resolved the... Complications the article spoke about?'

Kate glanced at Castle, spotting Paula nodding enthusiastically out of shot. Lifting their clasped hands, Kate smiled warmly, 'we are...'

'What we are,' Rick smirked, 'and what we are is between us and our friends and families only.'

'What he said,' Kate chuckled.

'I'm being told that we need to wrap this interview up,' the newscaster tipped his head as his earpiece came to life, 'thank you for this interview.'

'You're welcome,' Kate nodded as Castle smiled.

'Clear!' Dom called over from the computer array.

'That wasn't as bad as I expected,' Kate stood, rolling her shoulders, 'did we get the important stuff out there?'

'I think that is enough to sate the hounds,' Gina turned to Paula, only to find her having a heated, but whispered discussion with Clara in the hallway, 'And Paula would agree with me if she'd been watching.'

'So now we just have to run a fine tooth comb through the files in the hope we can find a stepping stone to something that nails Bracken,' Kate sighed.

* * *

'Dammit,' Senator Bracken kicked his waste paper bin across his office as the interview finished. Turning to the desk, he activated the intercom, 'Delores, have Mr White come to my office ASAP.'

'Yes sir,' Bracken walked to where he had a bottle of scotch. Pouring a glass, he looked out the window of his New York senatorial office at the bustling city below, 'drastic times call for drastic measures.'

* * *

'Shit!' Kate sighed as her head began to pound, 'I need to stop.'

'It is gone two in the morning Kate,' Castle motioned to where Esposito was slumped over a sofa chair, his jaw slack as he snored, 'everyone else is asleep, and this place is locked down tighter than sandy's pants in Greese!'

Kate smirked, 'in the state I'm in I'm probably going to have to re-read half of the papers I read in the last hour. Some sleep sounds good about now.'

Castle stood and offered his arm, which was batted away by Kate, 'I can walk just fine Rick.

'I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't at least offer,' Castle's chuckle rumbled out of his chest.

'Just take me to bed Rick,' Kate walked away, a yawn hitting her as Castle spluttered.

Neither noticed the man in the Stoneclad uniform watching them from the far end of the room.


End file.
